Rejected twice at birth, the iPod has now become as much a part of our daily experience as our laptops, cable TV, and cars. Its meteoric rise and popularity has been at once rapid, fierce, and worldwide. Indeed, any conceptual design that can produce four generations within less than ten years is noteworthy. An entirely new business and popular culture has emerged from it.

This is the iPods story.

Difficult Conception

The concept behind the iPod began with Tony Fadell. He craved a music-playing device that was smaller, slimmer, and thereby, more transportable than any alternative. He dreamed of leveraging the scope of the device by creating an online music downloading platform that would ensure convenient and legitimate purchase of music. Initially, Fadell introduced his idea to RealNetworks and Phillips. Neither company showed interest, a mistake that would eventually cost them billions in potential revenue.

Apple Says Yes

At the time, Apple was less than interested in creating a product that was centered on the delivery of music. In fact, two previous ventures into that sector had deteriorated in failure. Yet, they recognized that Fadell's ideas had merit and held the potential for enormous success in a market that had eluded them. Apple had already bought and redeveloped an online music downloading platform. They merely needed the portable music-playing device that could support it. They offered Fadell a contract, a team of thirty employees, and one year in which to deliver a workable solution.

Bringing The Minds Together

Despite the breadth of Apple's resources that he had at his disposal, Fadell believed that he needed outside help in order to transform his invention into a viable product. He contacted a company called PortalPlayer. While they had existing contracts with large companies such as IBM, PortalPlayer had yet to produce a tangible, marketable product. Undaunted, Fadell moved forward. He secured their help and began production on what was to become the first generation of the iPod.

Cold Reception

Apple "fan-boys" immediately recognized the potential of the first generation iPods, even if it still needed a little bit of work, however, critics were not impressed. The device that was originally released from Apple's production line in the Fall of 2001 included an odd scrolling function. Plus, it lacked visual appeal and carried a price point that virtually eliminated a significant portion of their potential market. Among the worst complaints was that the iPod was not compatible with Windows.

Proud Generations

While most critics hated the first generation, the public slowly started to fall in love with it. On the momentum of its rising popularity, the iPod began its evolution through new and improved generations. Changes were made to the scroll functionality in order to better meet the demands of a growing and increasingly vocal customer base. The buttons that were included on the first iPods were designed to be less obtrusive in newer versions. And of course, the device's capacity was expanded. The original 1,000-song limit was shattered by the release of a hard drive that was capable of storing several thousand songs.

When the third generation was launched to the public, it marked the introduction of a new independent online music download and purchase system: iTunes. Not only was this platform the culmination of Fadell's dream, but it also rendered similar platforms such as Rhapsody and MusicMatch all but obsolete.

Ambitious companies in the same market immediately tried to leverage Apple's success in the hopes of increasing their own exposure. But, the momentum of Apple's research department and production chain left them behind. Before long, the iPod's batteries were improved, the device was designed to be compatible with Windows, and a smaller, "mini iPod" was introduced for those who considered the original player too bulky. Each of these improvements were only a prelude to the 4th generation iPods.

Expansion

In 2004, Apple grabbed headlines when it joined forces with Hewitt-Packard. Their mutual goal was to expand sales of the iPod, allowing Hewitt-Packard access to a portion of the valuable revenue stream. It proved to be a logistical, marketing, and sales coup. Previous generations were made available only from Apple stores and a few high-end boutique shops. By contrast, the fourth generation of the iPod was launched through the distribution chains of popular discount stores such as Target and Walmart. Prices were reduced, making the device affordable to a new segment of the market.

Variety Is The Spice Of Life

As Apple began production of the 5th generation iPods, radical new forms of the iPod were designed. The product became smaller and eventually the iPod mini was replaced by the iPod nano. Before long, the iPod shuffle was introduced, offering the smallest form of the device in its most affordable package to date. Meanwhile, Apple furiously upgraded its flagship product; capacity and functionality was expanded, allowing the storage of videos and pictures and the addition of the iPod Touch, the first touchscreen iPod, also featuring built in WiFi wireless connectivity.

Then came the iPhone.

It was launched in 2007 and was designed on a platform that broadened the usability of past generations while providing internet and phone capability. The scroll function had been eliminated, giving the new device a sleeker presentation. Each feature was now accessible through a clearly-rendered touchscreen. Expectations were high and hopeful customers stood in line for hours, willing to pay the $500 price tag. Within 12 months, Apple released two generations of the iPhone, slashing its price point and expanding its availability in the process.

General Impact

Riding the crest of public adoration, Apple has sold an enormous number of iPods and iPhones. During its comparatively short life, it has become a global phenomenon and household name. Music artists, anxious to leverage the device's popularity in order to increase their own exposure, began releasing "signed" models. Car manufacturers began modifying their production platforms in order to accommodate the iPod. And Apple, willing to burst into new markets with the device in order to support its sales, was happy to oblige.

Meanwhile, a wave of criticism was growing.

New generations of the iPod were released so quickly, often with attractive new features, that many customers complained about the pressure to "keep up." People invested in new models only to watch those model become obsolete within months as new versions were launched. Exacerbating the problem, prices continued to plummet with each version that was released. Despite the growing negative sentiment in their customer base, Apple pressed on. During 2008, most of their products within the iPod line underwent significant overhauls in design and functionality, with the new iPods featuring Apple's new Genius playlist feature and increased storage capacity. And prices continued to drop.

The impact of the iPod will continue to reverberate for years. Not only did Apple revolutionize the manner in which we enjoy our music, they also developed a new platform from which to deliver that music. In the coming years, Apple must continue to meet the expectations that have grown around the iPod product line. Critics and customers wait expectantly to see what the next generation will offer.